how long can i leave paintwork before applying vinyl?

[David Rogers]

I normally recommend a week to my customers as a minimum.

Dave

[Robert Lambie]

leave it as long as possible… a week would be good, but if your customers are anything like mine you wont get that kind of time.
outgassing is one issue but there are other problems that occur from fitting fresh painted vehicles. tell your customer this and let him decide if he wants you to proceed. it will at least cover you should something go wrong.

[Rod Gray]

It depends entirely on the paintwork process.

If done properly in a low bake oven using the proper products, you can do anything to it after baking it for an hour. You can even re-paint it after an hour 🙂

If some chancer done it in his lock up, i`d give it a fortnight 😉

Rod`

[Matt Hards]

Ok, thankyou to all, I think it will be a professional spray job, you should see the car, an r34 nissan skyline, very nice!!1

[Peter Normington]

As Rob G says,
it does depend on the process and paint used, I have applied to stuff still warm from the oven without any problems…
It may be worth checking out the recommendations of the paint manufacturer, or get the body shop to do so,

peter

[Richard Urquhart]

i agree with both rob and peter
the use of water base and low solvent paint which is used in most compliant body shops now i think out gassing is much less of a problem

smaller body shops are not so in to using the latest materials but you will find most of the larger shops all going water base if not already having done so

i do many repair jobs for 2 or 3 large body shops and i apply next day when all fitted up
touch wood i have had no problems these body shops use both water base with 2k clear coat
hope this helps
rich

[Robert Lambie]

maybe rod or rich can help me with this one…
once in a blue moon ill get a fresh painted vehicle… everything seems sound and ready for vinyl. then vinyl text is applied but when the application tape is removed it leaves a dulling of the paintwork in the shape of the apptape. anytime i have done this i speak with the bodyshop people and blame the time i have been told to apply the graphics in, they dont argue and tell me not to worry about it. what is it that causes this?

[Peter Normington]

Rob, It has happened to me, Its normally transport (hot enamel) that does this, It does need more time to dry, because its normally applied to large vehicles, and ovens for 40 ft vehicles arnt common,
Sure Rob G can explain better, It usually dissapears though

Peter

[Rod Gray]

Hi Robert,

The problem you describe is when the outer skin of the paintwork has dried solid but the first coat or the inner skin which sits on top of the primer hasn`t.

It`s a very common occurance and happens when a wrong primer has been used with a top coat or when the paint hasn`t been cured properly using a heated oven or booth.

It happens to us occasionally on stuff that hasn`t been baked due to some sensitive issue like gas tanks or fire engine pressure tanks etc.

It also happens regularly on steel constructed bodies like some of the Reigart equipent you letter. Due to the thickness of the steel and the paint application required to cover the sandblasted surfaces, twice as much paint goes on so it takes 10 times longer to cure out. The bruising effect you describe disappears after a few minutes leaving no lasting problems.

In general though, if it is a new vehicle done properly in an oven (the legal way) then you should never see a mark left in the paint. It should dry almost as hard as glass an hour after being painted, providing it has been applied correctly.

Rod

[Rod Gray]

quote Peter Normington:

Rob, It has happened to me, Its normally transport (hot enamel) that does this, It does need more time to dry, because its normally applied to large vehicles, and ovens for 40 ft vehicles arnt common,
Sure Rob G can explain better, It usually dissapears though

Peter

Spot on Peter.

"Hot Spray" is a process where polyeurothane enamel (single pack) paints are heated up to around 50 degrees and applied to larger, agricultural vehicles and also 40ft containers and tankers etc.

The reason for heating is to avoid having to thin the paint thus giving a much higher build and better shine. The heat thins the paint so it`ll pass through the paint gun nozzles in the same way cold thinned paint would.

Rod